CHAPTER 9 — The Last Lie
Roman's eyes darted between the four screens.
Amelia.
Noah.
Clara.
Celeste.
One of them was Theodore's accomplice.
The countdown ticked relentlessly.
29:11...
29:10...
Theodore calmly moved a black chess piece across the board.
"You've spent your whole life judging people by what they say."
He smiled.
"Today... judge them by what they don't."
Roman forced himself to breathe.
He looked closer.
Amelia was crying.
Noah was pulling against the ropes until his wrists bled.
Clara was coughing as smoke filled the room.
Celeste...
...was terrified.
But something was wrong.
She was wearing high heels.
Roman frowned.
The camera supposedly showed an abandoned warehouse.
Yet her shoes were spotless.
Not a speck of dust.
No mud.
No ash.
Roman slowly looked at Theodore.
"You staged her kidnapping."
Theodore grinned.
"Keep going."
Roman focused on the other screens.
Noah's ropes had torn through his skin.
Real.
Amelia's hands shook uncontrollably.
Real.
Smoke detectors in Clara's room were actually sounding.
Real.
Only Celeste's video looked... perfect.
Roman stood.
"There are only three victims."
"The fourth camera is fake."
Theodore applauded.
"Excellent."
"But you're still wrong."
Roman's heart pounded.
"What?"
The old billionaire pressed another button.
Celeste's screen went black.
A live video replaced it.
She was sitting beside Theodore's private helicopter.
Not tied.
Not crying.
Holding a remote detonator.
Roman felt sick.
Celeste looked directly into the camera.
"I'm sorry."
"But I chose survival."
She lifted the detonator.
"Goodbye."
She pressed the button.
Roman screamed.
"No!"
The screens flashed.
Then...
Nothing exploded.
Silence.
Theodore burst into laughter.
Roman stared in confusion.
"You..."
"...didn't arm the bombs."
Theodore smiled.
"There were never any bombs."
Roman froze.
"The countdown..."
"...was another test."
The old billionaire nodded.
"I wanted to know whether you still trusted appearances."
Roman's fists clenched.
"You tortured innocent people..."
"...for a game?"
"No."
"For a lesson."
Theodore stood for the first time.
Roman's eyes widened.
The wheelchair...
...had been another lie.
The old billionaire walked toward him without difficulty.
"I built an empire because I understood one truth."
"Fear controls people better than love."
Roman answered quietly,
"You're wrong."
Theodore laughed.
"Then prove it."
At that exact moment...
The mausoleum doors exploded inward.
Federal agents stormed inside.
"FBI! Don't move!"
Theodore smiled calmly.
"You're late."
He pressed a hidden switch beneath the chessboard.
The entire floor shook.
Roman looked down.
The marble tiles beneath Theodore slid open.
A hidden elevator.
The old billionaire stepped backward into it.
Before the doors closed, he looked at Roman one last time.
"You finally became worthy of the Blackwood name."
The elevator disappeared underground.
Roman rushed forward.
Too late.
The chamber was empty.
Then Noah's voice crackled through Roman's radio.
"Dad!"
Roman froze.
It was the first time Noah had ever called him that.
"We found him!"
Roman grabbed the radio.
"Where?"
"The old airfield!"
"He never planned to escape alone!"
Roman's blood ran cold.
"Amelia..."
May you like
Noah's terrified voice answered.
"She's with him!"
